The UFC Saudi Arabia main event was set to feature undefeated middleweight Khamzat Chimaev against former champion Robert Whittaker. As the highly-anticipated card approached, fans were surprised when Chimaev had to withdraw from the fight due to health issues, just over a week before the event.
Chimaev’s manager, Majdi Shammas, took to Instagram to inform fans about his client’s health status and provide an update on the situation. The news of Chimaev’s withdrawal dealt a big blow to the UFC Saudi Arabia card. However, fate had other plans for Chimaev’s former opponent, Ikram Aliskerov, who was scheduled to fight in a co-main event against Antonio Trócoli in Las Vegas.
In a last-minute move, Aliskerov was swiftly reassigned to take on Whittaker on June 22. This presents a significant opportunity for Aliskerov, who has already secured two UFC wins but has faced multiple cancellations for fights against ranked middleweight opponents since his debut last year. It seems that prioritizing his health was the right decision made by Chimaev’s team, and fans hope that “Borz” will recover fully and resume his journey toward UFC title contention soon.
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